Fall For Me, I'll Fall For You
by Vivalandra
Summary: :: Between the process of finishing the Hunger Games and returning home. :: Katniss and Peeta continue to act as star-crossed-lovers for their sponsors to earn what they need to survive. But what happens when the feelings between the two become more... clear? :: The Hunger Games (c) Suzanne Collins ::
1. Prologue

**A/N: If I didn't love you all enough…**

**Hello each and every one of you! I'm really, really, really, really, REALLY sorry that I didn't check in on all of you in a really long time. I've been kind of busy lately. I'm sure you all understand. But don't worry. None of my stories are cancelled or dead. None of anything is held off. Everything's perfectly fine.**

**And now I'm going to write my first "Hunger Games" story! Yay! :)**

**Enjoy enjoy!**

***I OBVIOUSLY OWN NOTHING AT ALL!***

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

The light of the moon is the only source of light I have. There is no candle. There is no lantern. There is no match, or flame, or spark to give me my glow-in-the-dark ability to see everything around me. Just the moon. The full moon, given to me by the peacekeepers. The silver glow peeks through the wide-holed opening of the cave, like a child over the booth of a seat. Sneakily. Suspiciously.

Peeta is cuddled up beside me, grasping me as if I would slip away from his grip. His eyes are closed. His body is trembling, but not because it is cold. He must be dreaming about me. A nightmare, I sense. If only I could see what was happening. A few times, I had heard him mumble my name. "Katniss," he was whispering, full of desperation and bliss. I would become confused. I would not understand. What is it he is thinking of me? What is it that he needs? His grip is tighter, and he begins to pant. A heavy flow of breathing enters his nose and exits his mouth. He is sweating hard, so hard his outfit is drenched in minutes.

I glance at him; my nose nuzzles his neck, his face, and his ears. He stirs, awakening from his slumber, looking at me with eyes of concern.

"Katniss?" He whispers. I shush him by placing my finger over his lips. He stops so short. His eyes, which were nearly squinted shut, were now alert, and all attention was paid to me.

"It's okay. Just relax, and try not to talk a lot."

I take my jacket and bundle it up, fluffing it a bit and slipping it under his head, making it as a use of a pillow. He smiles at my motherly generosity. He's so sweet. So kind and so loving. What did this game do to us? We never talked to each other, never once acknowledged each other back in District 12. Just that day he gave me bread. And my father's funeral, when he first told me he loved me. And now, apparently, we're "star-crossed lovers." What does that mean? Why must we pretend we're in love?

"But we aren't pretending," he told me the day before we entered the arena. "We _are_." He added feeling in his voice. So much I thought he looked serious. That he _was _serious. Did he really love me? No. No, he can't love me. He couldn't have loved me. This is just a load of tosh. Just a coax. We're not in actual love. This is just a trick to our sponsors. To get more gifts when we need them and to get what we need to survive.

That, besides getting out of this hellhole, was our main task.

He cleared his throat and moved himself back more, against the wall of the forbidden and dark cave, full nightmare-ish shadows and dark memories of ours. The enemies out there, like Thresh and Cato and Clove, were somewhere, looking for us. And for all we knew, they may have been so close to our current territory. Our hideout. Then where would we go? What kind of shelter is out here, close to this cave? Or at least in walking distance?

I crawled over next to him, sighing as I moved closer and connected the contact of my arm around his shoulder. He moved his hand up closer to mine and laced his fingers through. I took this gesture rather seriously and leaned my head on his shoulder.

He looked down and gave me a sorrowful look. A face that showed almost no feeling. Almost… completely apathetic.

"Katniss," he began. "Are you okay?"

I forced my eyes upon his face. They began to trail up and down his body. Not exactly physically toned, but nowhere around unfit. A really weird feeling began to build up. It was nearly indescribable.

"Peeta," I placed my hand on his chest and burned my eyes within his. "Do you really love me? Or are you just pretending… you know… for our sponsors."

"Oh Katniss," he began, snuggling closer to my body. What was he doing? "I really do love you. Let's go to sleep."

"But…"

He kissed my lips to silence my angst words. But they still played in my mind, chilling me to the bone, making me think.

"To sleep Katniss. Go ahead. I'll stay awake until you slip away…"

I let out a warming grin and turned over, closing my eyes. I felt Peeta's arms slip around my waist. The comfort of him made me fall faster and soon, I could no longer think or feel anything. I was asleep. I was gone…

* * *

><p>As the chirping of the night birds and the croaks of the frogs died down, and the glow of the moon became ever more tinted, the night was slowly becoming a very faded point of time. There was no sound out there, but the strong wind, like the blowing of a fan in a face. Not rough, not strong; as one.<p>

The soft snores from Peeta could be heard. But I was still in my own little world. My turquoise eyes, which were once open, were now closed and blinded from sight. Darkness had long taken over. Every sound was still around me, however, and everyone was recognized. Peeta's snores. The wind. The animals. And me, thinking.

_All seems normal, _I began to talk to myself. _But you must get some sleep Kat. You have a long day tomorrow._

But I was asleep. Just slightly paralyzed. I could think. I could hear. But I could not move or see.

And all was well and full of peace.

Until that one abnormal, unblended sound gave itself away.

The crunch of leaves breaking. A foot stepping on it. And it happened right outside of the cave.

_What was that? Wake up Kat, wake up! Come on, 911! Wake up!_

But I tried to open the eyes that were now deceiving me. Forbidding me to protect myself from the danger that was to come. But no matter how much effort was put into it, my eyes would never open.

_It's okay. It's all going to be okay. Hopefully, Peeta will wake up from it._

I could only hope…

The sound drew itself ever more closely. Each step making a crack. Each step shifting its weight. Each step ceasing my heart.

I feel a presence among me, but I feel that it's Peeta, and so I don't worry as much. But I also hear the sound of another body, struggling to pull itself through the only entrance to our cave. Another body? It is more than one person!

The next thing I hear is the choked gasp of someone next to me. A knife or sharp object stuck within someone's gut, and then the ripping of flesh, and the smell of a dead corpse fills my nose, and also, worms its way into my mouth.

It is only then that my eyelids allow the entrance of my orbs shine in the light as they open. I let my head fall to the left and gasp silently. Peeta was dead, and blood was nearly all over the cave of the wall. I stared in disbelief. And then I'd seen Clove and Cato, grinning and snickering at each other. They were all the way at the far end of the cave, right above Peeta's body, kicking it slightly to see if he would so much as _twitch._

I was in the wide blood light of the moon. And they hadn't even acknowledged me yet! They hadn't seen me! I had a chance to hide! Luckily, I could be a very sneaky gal when I wanted to, and I silently, and slowly, squirmed into the dark shadow of the cave wall, making sure I blended in with it. The black clothing of my outfit helped me camouflage.

It was only then that I let the tear fall. I watched in horror as Cato dug deeper, cutting a circular hole in Peeta's stomach, and ripped the remaining flesh away, digging out the intestines of my "boyfriend," feeding off of him like a mis-raised, wild, rapid dog. I almost lost my lunch, but turned my head away, before seen more than what was in store for me. One tear turned into multiple, until I was not crying, but weeping.

_Peeta… he… he's gone. He's gone… why? Why! I can't do this alone!_

"Mmm," I heard Clove moan in hunger. "Yummy."

"Why do you think this is called the 'Hunger Games,' babe?" Cato joked. He drank some of the blood from his inside, making sure that he offered Clove her fair share as well.

"No thanks. I want to eat the girl. _She's _the one who pisses me off."

She searched around, her combat boots kicking some of the dirt along with her. She unsheathed her combat dagger and held it out, poking it around in the shadows. She went around in a circle, and she was coming close to me. She was getting so close; I could smell the desperation in her breath. I wonder if she was always like this. Or if she was exactly like Peeta didn't want to become. Changed. By the capitol. I could sense her. I could read her like a book. Like the back of my hand. She was no longer a young, teenaged girl. She was a cannibal. A blood thirsty, human-hunting animal. And she smelled like she would stop at nothing to eat someone's meat, particularly mine.

"Oh Katniss," she began to sing in a little voice. "Come out, come out. Wherever you are."

Cato wiped his mouth and brought out his sword as well. And Peeta… he didn't even look like himself anymore. Because most of _him _was gone.

"You're not making this very easy on yourself, Hun," Clove growled. "I'll kill you like I did you're little friend Rue."

She slashed at one edge of the dark and fumed when she caught nothing but air, only then continuing her search.

"Oh, you think you're _so _sneaky, huh? Dancing around with your ugly, little, face."

I felt so much acid dripping from her voice; I thought some of it fell to my soul, and that I was going to melt, right then and there. Why did Clove hate me so much? I don't get it. I never did.

"Katniss, we're not gonna hurt you. We're gonna kill you. But just make it easier on yourself. Because if I have to hunt you, I'll kill you slowly and painfully. But if you come out now, I'll consider finishing you off nice and fast."

She sliced at another empty void in the dark, found nothing, and ventured on. I'd be damned if I left her find me in there. I had to get out. I had to find a way toward the exit. I looked at the hole. I could wait until they turned around, then I'd make a dart for it. But wouldn't that mean risking away my shadow? They would see the outline of me. That would completely give it away. Unless… I stopped right outside the exit, shot a bow right at Cato's head, and then dash out before Clove would even take notice. No, that wouldn't work either. Clove was a pretty accurate thrower when it came to knives.

Speaking of which, she was still on the prowl for my blood. It seemed that she wouldn't stop unless I was found, dead, and eaten. It was only then that I felt the grip of someone's hand yank my shoulder and pulled me into the moonlight, which turned my pale skin to twilight silver.

"Well, well, well," Cato tapped the knife against his arm, and then aimed the tip directly at my throat, covering it in the thickness of Peeta's blood. "We have a surprise visitor. You're just in time. I feared that Clove and I were going to have it all alone with your little boyfriend."

He pointed toward Peeta's corpse and my eyes wandered there as well. This, in turn, was not a good idea. I bent over and threw up whatever was left all of the squirrel, duck, and any other animal I've eaten. Clove laughed and Cato smirked.

"Not so tough after all, huh?" She pointed and cackled as if she were an energetic hyena.

After the funniness whined down, he dug the knife deeper in, earning a cry from my pleading mouth.

"Please…"

"Please what? I want to go home, and there's no way that will be possible with you in the way."

"Why team up? You'll end up fighting each other off anyway."

"Because… it wouldn't hurt to have a little help with things once in a while. Now,"

He held it at an angle against my neck, the blade itself glistening in the moonlight. It was intimidating.

"Just finish her off fast. I'm tired of seeing her ugly mug."

"Patience Clove," he turned toward her, and then looked back at me. "We kill her nice and slow. That's what we both agreed on."

She took a few steps towards me and slapped the back of my head teasingly, putting on another smirk as she kneeled at level so that her eyes came in contact with mine.

"Take all the time you need. And finish this little rat off."

"Will do," he growled. "Goodbye Katniss. And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor."

With that, and with one swipe of his knife, my throat was split two-in-two and I fell over, dead to the floor…

* * *

><p>I barged up, heaving deeply and running a hand over my braid. It was all just one big nightmare? Apparently so.<p>

"Katniss?" An arm fell over my shoulder. I instinctively shoved it away, grabbed my bow, stood up, turned, and aimed straight behind me.

Peeta put his hands up in a surrendering way and rose too, backing away from my fuming, heated body.

"Katniss, it's me, Peeta."

"Peeta?" My eyes became watery, and I lowered my bow. He nodded his head slowly with a confusing look on his face.

"Peeta?" I pleaded in a relieving way. My bow clattered to the floor and I dashed straight into his arms. He held me tightly and I gripped myself close, my hands rubbing his hair.

"Oh God. Peeta, please… never leave me!"

He said nothing, but pulled me ever so closer, in response to my anguish.

"Peeta… please! Don't… don't let them… take you away! Don't let them take you away from me! Promise me, damn it! Promise me you won't let them take you away from me!"

"I promise Katniss. What-?"

I didn't let him finish. I just kissed him, a long, loving, despaired kiss, as if he would float away, and I wouldn't be able to help him. He lifted me into his arms and laid me back down, climbing on top of me, careful enough not to put his full weight on me in fear he'd hurt me. I sighed into his lips as he pulled me closer, breaking the dam between us. Between love and blissfulness.

"Oh Peeta…" I whispered. In response to this, he kisses me even harder, the lust of his lips practically melting into my mouth, dripping on my tongue. I taste… bread. Weird, I know, but very true. And actually, very comforting.

But little did with both of us know that I was as I tired as ever, and eventually, I fell asleep, with the taste of his lips still dancing on the muscle in my mouth. He pulled himself away and stared at my closed eyelids, no longer seeing my turquoise orbs. He smiled and laid me down, kissing my forehead. He turned over and with the final thought of, '_I'm glad that fate had brought me here,' _he fell asleep as well.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay. So that was the prologue. I know what you're thinking. A lot to say for just the prologue. But trust me, the chapters get even better. That's why I decided to, instead of updating my other stories, squeeze in some time to write this one since I practically spend all of my time with the others. So enjoy this while it lasts, because I might not update until, well, probably next month. I'm sending an author's note to all other stories about this, so do not fear! : )**

**PleaseR&R,**

**DA98 : )**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello people! I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I blame myself... -_-**  
><strong>I'm making a new series in the Sims 2, so you can't really blame me. Maria's going to be a voice-over however! :D<strong>

**Yeah, yeah. I know.**

**Anyway, we shall get on with the story!**

**Chapter 1**

The sun rose, and its rays broke through the entrance. A tint of green was added within the light from the surrounding leaves of the trees. The sky was cloudless and beautiful; one more thing the peacekeepers added to make this day seem like a wonderful dream... it was a nightmare, and we all knew it. Peeta moaned a little and stirred himself awake.  
>"Katniss, time to get up."<br>"No," I rejected.  
>"Katniss, come on. We need to hunt for more food."<br>I leaned up and looked at him. "Fine. I suppose we'll go."  
>He smiled. "Good."<br>After a few more resisting groans uttering from my lips, we'd finally aroused and made our way into the woods. Once we hit the entrance, we'd faced each other and made up a game-plan.  
>"You go look for fresh foods, like berries (not night-lock) and vegetables. I'll go hunt some ducks and squirrels."<br>"Gotcha boss," he saluted and walked off deeper into the woods.I nodded and gripped my bow, holding it close to me, and quietly stalked through the trees, searching for any prey.

Whenever I got nervous, I thought of Prim. She'd always cheer me up. Her smile. Her pretty hair that I used to braid when Mom didn't. And especially her personality.

And taking her place in the games was the thing that kept her going. Of course, any day, if it were my life over hers, I'd pick mine.

I also thought of how Mom used to be. She was so motherly and warm and good-hearted to us. And then Dad died... and things dropped downhill for all of us. I wish there was a way to figure out why she'd just given up, but I just can't explain it. To be honest, I don't think she can either.

But sometimes I don't blame her. Dad was the best father I could have ever asked for. He taught me everything I know. He passed it on. He helped with our survival. He didn't teach me how to fight, technically, but he taught me how to catch, kill and cook my own food when we ran short. I'd thank him for that if he were still alive.

A rustling interrupted my thoughts. By how much noise it was making, I'd guess it was lighter than a duck. A squirrel, it possibly was. I armed my bow and searched for the source of the noise. It had to be around there somewhere, maybe even a few feet away.

A strong hand gripped me and knocked me against the trunk of the tree, making me drop my bow in the process. Cato, Clove and the rest of the Careers were caught up with me. Clove armed her knives, aiming them possibly at my head.

"Well, well. Look what we got here boys and girls. Little beautiful Katniss, all alone and helpless."  
>"Where's lover-boy?" Clove smirked. "is he alone as well?"<br>Cato held a knife up to my neck and I tried to resist by moving away.  
>"That won't work babe. That nice little neck's gonna get cut either way."<br>"Boys," Clove commanded. "go after lover-boy. If she's here, then he is close by somewhere. Unless... she happens to know where he is."  
>The Careers still went off to find Peeta either way and didn't wait for a response from me. However, that didn't stop Cato and Clove.<br>"Where is he?" Cato threatened me. I shook my head and he dug the knife deeper in, elapsing a hiss from my mouth. "Come now Katniss. He's around here somewhere. Where?"  
>"I don't know Cato," I mumbled.<br>Cato's eyebrows knitted, and he began to get angry. He moved the knife from my neck and stabbed me in my stomach, digging it deeper the more I tried to pull away. I screamed and fell to the ground in pain. Clove rounded the tree that was by me, picked up my bow so that I couldn't grab it to fend them off, and stood next to Cato, smirking as she seen me crawling in my own blood.  
>"You are going to tell me where he is," he yanked the knife right out and I yelled once more. "or this knife will go straight to your heart."<br>"I... I don't... know."  
>Cato held his knife up, getting ready to strike, when Clove stopped him.<br>"Let's go find the Careers and let's go. We'll finish her off later."  
>Cato looked at her, the knife, me, and all back around. Then finally, he led the way toward the Career's route, and before she followed after him, Clove dropped the bow at my feet.<br>I stood up slowly and cried silently, holding my hand up for examination. My blood was flowing out rather fast. I had to find Peeta so he could help me. I bent down carefully, picked up my bow, stood on my feet and considered a rather wounded walk back to the route of our cave. I could already taste blood in my mouth before I found him in the distance picking fresh and [healthy] berries.  
>"P..." I whispered. I'd probably lost already three pints of my own blood. I'm almost half way to having none at all! "Peeta."<br>Peeta turned toward me and dropped the berries, his mouth gapped open.  
>"Katniss!" he ran toward me and when I nearly fell, he caught me in his arms. "what... who did this to you?"<br>"Cato. Clove. The Careers. They're looking for us, Peeta. We... we have to go... go back to the cave."  
>"Okay, okay," he flipped my arm over his shoulder. "we're going."<p>

He slowly led me up the pathway and back to the cave. He laid me down on the floor gently. I groaned in pain, which made him panic a little.

"I'm going to find something to heal you." he offered, taking my bow out of hand and setting it down beside me.  
>"No!" I shouted and pulled his arms to stop him. "I can take care of myself."<br>"Katniss, you're on the verge of dying!"  
>"I don't care! I'm a tough chick. I can do this. Just help me up, and I'll go from there."<br>"Katniss, stay down and don't move! I'm going to find something to heal you."  
>Then his hand slipped away from mine. His figure moved from by my side to the hole of the cave, to completely leaving it. And I sat there, feeling like a whiney, wimpy, weak little girl. Just how we're stereotyped.<p>

And I'd be damned to turn this into a cliche.

I leaned up and slowly rose myself to my feet. I ripped a piece of fabric from my jump-suit and tied it around my stomach to use it as a tourniquet and limped out of the cave entrance. Upon my arrival outside, I spotted the Careers, Clove, Cato and Peeta a distance ahead, and I ducked down carefully to watch them closely.

But with my ear being how it was, it was a little hard to. So I did what I could... I moved up a little bit more, and hid behind a large boulder. That made it so much better.

"Where is she, lover-boy?" I heard Clove ask.  
>"You think I'm going to tell you? You're greatly wrong."<br>"Yeah?" Cato smirked and stepped up to him. Then, his face went serious. "Well, you got about three seconds to tell us where she is, so we can kill her, and torture you."  
>"If you wanted to kill her so badly, you would've when I wasn't with her to help her."<br>"No. We would've if we knew where you were. It would've been a straight shot."  
>"Well, here I am. You were looking for me in the first place. And now, you've got me. So just leave Katniss alone."<br>"I'm afraid I can't do that," Cato said, and removed his sword. "I'll need to know where she is first."  
>"Go to hell Cato. You know you belong there anyway."<br>" you won't tell us where she is, then we'll get rid of you, and torture her. Come on boys. Let's get him."  
>Oh my God! They're going to strike him! I have to do something!<br>I needed to think... what was I going to do?

I turned my head (still hiding behind the boulder of course), and I noticed the shimmering waters of the creek just right below the edge of the cliff that sat a few feet away from me.

And that's when I thought of it.

I'm going to give myself away.

I stood up in the open and cupped my hands in front of my mouth, shouting for their attention.  
>"Hey!"<br>They looked up and Clove smiled. "We found her."  
>"Come and get me... if that's really what you want."<br>"Katniss, no! What are you doing?" Peeta yelled, Cato's knife stilled armed at him.  
>"Saving you... as you'd saved me."<br>"I'll take care of lover-boy," Cato said. "Clove, you handle Katniss... like you've always wanted."  
>"With pleasure," she purred.<p>

Then, quick as a flash, her and the Careers darted toward me. I went wide-eyed and limped to the ledge as fast as I could, but stopped short when I found the water down below, the friction knocking some pebbles over the edge and into the water. I stared down at the rustling waves and thought. The water below may have looked life-saving, but beneath the surface, the 'life-saving' part was menacing. Pointy sharp rocks sat below, waiting to kill anyone who landed on them. There was no way anyone was crazy enough to jump down there... not even me.

But with Clove and the Careers coming in fast, I didn't have a choice. It was either jump, or face deadly consequences with knife fighters.

I closed my eyes, plugged my nose, took a deep breath, and jumped. I waited for the moment of impact, but I felt nothing but wind in my face and hair, until the water hit my feet, sweeping all over my body. It soaked into my bad ear, cleaning out some of the blood, which felt good for a little bit. I opened my eyes slowly, and saw an oncoming rock. I moved a little to the side to avoid a critical hit, but a small sharp edge of it caught my arm, and I swam to the surface, sucking in as much air as I could. I looked above and Clove and the Careers glared down at me in disbelief. Peeta and Cato watched as I struggled to fight against the currents. As they brought me down a bit farther, I grabbed on to a branch that was jammed into the dirt filled wall surrounding the creek and gripped onto it to pull myself up. Once I was free of the water, I climbed onto a piece of land hanging of the edge and rested until I could catch my breath. Who knew it was this hard to survive a creek?

I seemed to have lost sight of Clove, the Careers, Peeta and Cato, but there was no doubt they were going to find me soon, so I had to get moving. Hopefully, Peeta would be the first to discover me.

And if not... well, at least I had the home-field advantage.

Searching around to find anything ominous or strange, I seen nothing. No Careers. No Clove. No Cato. No... Peeta.

I wanted to call for him, yell his name, make sure that we find each other safely. But that would be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Of course Peeta will find me, which would've been great, but that would make the Careers coming like a Bloodhound with a strict scent.

I clutched the tourniquet that was still wrapped around my stomach (surprisingly) and bent over. My blood had left it drenched, and I don't know how much more it can soak up.

If I'm going to find Peeta, I'm going to have to find him fast.

But it seems with every step that I take, more and more blood flows because of the body's adjusting to work with it's muscles, and it forces the flow to increase in each passing second. Depending on how long or how far Peeta is from my current location, walking would be suicide. I would die before I would even reach the mid-way point.

But somehow, anyhow, there has to be a better way. I just can't quite put my finger on it.

I would suggest continuing to ride the currents, but they are taking me south, not north. If I am lucky, Peeta may have fended everyone off by now and is now searching for me, hopefully without leaving a trail. But then again, as you can tell, my luck hasn't been working with me at all.

How the hell am I supposed to find my way back?

All of a sudden, a rustling started in the bushes, and with whatever was left with my speed, I darted up as fast as I could without hurting myself and reached for my bow... my bow... MY BOW! Crap!

I'd left it back at the cave! Peeta took it out of my hand! How was I so dumb as to forget about it? It's the only thing I use to protect myself!

I mumbled a curse to myself. Great thinking, Katniss. No weapon. Heavily wounded. You're surely going to die.

"Katniss," the voice in the bushes whispered. They seemed oddly familiar. "it's me."  
>"Peeta?" I gasped slowly, pacing myself and taking my time to reach toward the bushes.<p>

Peeta came out and hoisted me into his arms the way you would carry a bride after a wedding.

"Come on Katniss. I'm gonna get you out of here."  
>"Peeta," I shook my head and started to break down in tears. I'm not sure if it was out of exhaustion or out of fear or a mix of the two, but all I know is that the dam had broke. "Peeta... I... I thought... I thought you were dead. I thought that they killed you..."<br>"No Katniss, no. I told you, I can take care of myself. I'm more worried about you."  
>"That's not the point."<br>"You know it is Katniss. I love you more than you do me."  
>I didn't want to argue with him anymore. I just tried my hardest to relax while he carried me off to only him and God knew where.<p>

But either way... I had hope that we'd survive... somehow.

* * *

><p>As night settled in, and light turned to dark, Peeta and I had finally seeked a place out that was to be used as our refuge. It was buried deep behind tall trees, bushes, shrubs, and many of those in relation to it. Cato, Clove and the Careers couldn't have found us here. Just like they couldn't have found us at the cave... but I went and screwed everything up...<p>

"Cold?" Peeta whispered as he'd watched me shiver to the bone, the blaze of the fire casting an orange, red and yellow glow upon our skin. I was a little bit, in all honesty, but I just didn't want to admit it. I wanted to show Peeta, and everyone who was currently watching us, that I could take care of myself. Prim is at home, waiting for me to come back alive. I will not let her see me in a coffin, getting ready to become worm chow. Not at her age. Her and Mom both still very much needed me...

"A little," I shrugged. "not a whole lot, though."  
>He set the stick down upon the dirt and got up, took off his jacket, and wrapped it around me, sitting beside me, his arm around my shoulder, and rubbing my arm a little to share our body heat. Our sponsors were probably having a heck of a time watching us be all mushy and fluffy and loveable.<br>"Katniss, it's okay to be weak sometimes. It's okay to be afraid..."  
>"I'm not afraid nor am I weak!" I shot back, voice rising. Then I shut my eyes to calm myself and repeated in an apologetic tone. "I'm not afraid nor am I weak."<p>

Peeta glanced down, a little bit of shame in his brown eyes. I think he was thinking that he should've known better than to underestimate me.  
>"I'm sorry that I snapped, Peeta. I didn't mean it."<br>"No..." he trailed off and picked the stick back up, poking at the firewood. "I shouldn't have thought that you were puny."

I had nothing to say to that. How could I be so mean to him? It's not his fault that I was placed in the Games, and it's not like I was the only one fighting for my life. If anything, I should feel sorry for him. He feels that he should protect me... when my job is to protect him and get us both out alive.

And here I am, acting like a fool when we're supposed to "scratch each others backs".

Peeta shook his head, sighed and got up, lying against the tree that was nearby.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Katniss... goodnight."

I stared for a second, watching him breathe silently, the dirt covering his face made him look like a man. Well... a tough one, anyway.

I got up, still cuddling the jacket the remained clutching my torso, walked to him, kneeled down, and kissed his lips passionately. After a few seconds, I felt him kiss me back. We stayed that way for a while, and then I slowly moved my lips to his ear and whispered:

"Goodnight Peeta... I love you."

I grabbed the tree trunk.

"Katniss," Peeta stopped me.

I turned to him. "Yeah?"

He smiled and dug through the bush next to him, pulling out... my bow!

"Merry Christmas," he joked and handed it to me.

I smiled, so amazed. "Peeta... how... how did you get it?"  
>"Let's just say it took one quick dash toward the cave and one break past the Careers."<br>"Well... thank you."  
>"You're welcome."<p>

Then, with that said, I climbed the tree stealthily, lie down on the sturdy, strong, thick branch, set my bow off to the side, and wiggled a little until I got comfortable, which eventually led me to fall asleep...

* * *

><p>The sun came up and shined through my eyelids (if that's how you'd describe it), and I decided that it wouldn't be the best to try to sleep longer, since it would just get in the way. I opened them and rubbed, looking down to the ground. Peeta was still asleep, astonishingly. But then again, he was sleeping at a different angle, and the sun was facing his back. I shrugged and stretched, grabbing my bow, climbing to the tree's trunk and sliding down, planting my feet on the ground.<p>

I yawned and just when I took one step out, a hand clamped over my mouth, and another over my stomach, dragging me back and luring me toward the bushes. I wanted to use my bow, but the person who was doing this was too close for me to get a clear shot.

"Peeta!" a muffled scream had tried to reach him, but Peeta didn't even stir. "Peeta! Peeta, help!"

I clawed at the tree's bark, trying to set myself free of whatever was trying to drag me off, but all I'd left was nail marks, and that didn't stop them.

I kept trying to call for Peeta, hoping that all of this commotion was bound to wake him.

"Peeta! Peeta!"  
>Just then, a foot pushed Peeta's body to the floor, and he fell limp. Didn't even move. And that's when I'd seen... there's were multiple stab wounds covering him, from the back of his head all the way down his back.<p>

"PEETA!" I tried to scream, almost crying in shock. But I had to stay tough if I was going to get out of this alive.

Clove peeked out from behind the tree trunk, right next to where Peeta's dead body lie.

"Surprised?" she smiled, then grew serious. "you should be. I told you we'd find you."

I struggled against the bonds of my captivator, ignoring the fact that I was now starting to feel a rather harsh stabbing pain in my lower back. It felt like whoever was holding me was now... stabbing me.

"Nice job Cato. Way to go."

Said person dropped me to the floor and the impact left me in even more pain than right now bearable. With what I had left, I crawled next to Peeta, making sure to grab my bow, and aiming it at both of them. But Clove, quicker than even I could stop her, ran up to me, almost like a ninja, and kicked it out of my hand, leaving scared, fearful, and now, weaponless. The best I could do now is hold Peeta and die along with him. I wasn't even gonna try to fight anymore.

Cato walked up to me, pulling me up to my feet and holding my arms behind my head. Clove took the knife from her holster and with last words of hers being, "Burn in hell", she stabbed me once... twice... three times in the stomach until blood trickled down my lips, and I went head first, smacking the dirt...

* * *

><p>That's when I shook myself awake screaming, and the next thing I knew I was falling out of the tree. As I landed on my back, Peeta slowly opened his eyes to see what happened.<br>"Katniss?" he ran to me, pulling me in his arms. "hey, Katniss. Are you alright?"  
>I nodded slowly and gripped him, like I would never see him again. What was going on with all of these dreams? What do they mean, and why are they constantly invading my slumber?<br>"Katniss, are you okay?"  
>"Just..." I whisper and wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could. "just... hold me. Hold me... please."<br>"I'm here Katniss," he nodded. "I'm here."

Yeah...you're here... but for how long?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Alrighty. It is time for me to say "goodbye".**

**I'll try to update as soon as I can, but I can't guarantee anything.**

**If I don't, try not to blame me too much.**

**PleaseR&R,**

**DA98 :)**


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